He entered and walked through

Luke 19:1-10 accounts the story of Jesus and the tax collector Zacchaeus. The story begins with these words, “Then Jesus entered and walked through Jericho” (v1).

Struck by those seven words in verse one, it occurred to me this was the same area where in the OT Joshua and his army defeated the inhabitants of Jericho, and the walls came tumbling down. The same Jericho, now years later that the Master entered and walked through. The same vicinity where healing of blind eyes would take place. The same vicinity wherein grace and restoration would be experienced.

Our Lord entered in and offered an invitation to grace to a tax collector. As with Zacchaeus, there are walls and rubble all around us [ the sins of our past] waiting for the Master to enter in and walk through. Just by Him entering in and walking through our walls (vicinity) of pain, suffering, agony, guilt and shame, they are transformed by the Holy of Holies. When Our Lord Jesus walks through, He offers us the invitation to experience His restorative love and grace, just as He did with Zacchaeus.